UNC vs. Portland - Player of the Game: Theo Pinson

Carolina took on the Portland Pilots on Thursday as they kicked off the Victory bracket side of the PK80 tournament. The Tar Heels cruised to a 102-78 win and 4-0 start as five players scored in double figures.

Their balanced attack makes it difficult to elect a player of the game. Luke Maye recorded his third 20-point game of the season, and Joel Berry and Kenny Williams added 18 and 17, respectively. Andrew Platek put in his best performance of the season, going for 12 points behind 4-5 shooting (2-2 from deep).

Despite many great contributors, the man who anchored this blowout victory was Theo Pinson. He was dangerously close to a triple-double, recording 11 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists.

Pinson, unsurprisingly, was all over the floor in this one. Fans were surely happy to see him knock down a three-pointer in just three attempts. His biggest strength, though, is his ability to get in the lane and make things happen for his teammates, and he did just that. Pinson’s seven assists was the highest total for him on the young season.

Much to Roy Williams’ pleasure, Pinson kept the Tar Heels playing up-tempo throughout the entire game. He routinely converted his 9 rebounds into quick scoring opportunities on the other end of the court, whether it was for himself or for his teammates. When Pinson is in attack mode like he was against Portland, he lifts the team to another level.

In what was a team victory more than anything, it only makes sense to give praise to the man who turned in the best all-around performance. Pinson and the Tar Heels will look to carry this momentum into the next round of the PK80 as well as into their tough non-conference slate.